The Passenger - Lisa Lutz

The Passenger

By Lisa Lutz

  • Release Date: 2016-03-01
  • Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Score: 4
4
From 366 Ratings

Description

“A dead-serious thriller (with a funny bone)” (The New York Times Book Review), from the author of the New York Times bestselling Spellman Files series, comes the story of a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past.

Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.

She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.

It’s almost impossible to live off the grid in the twenty-first century, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret. From heart-stopping escapes and devious deceptions, we are left to wonder…can she possibly outrun her past?

The Passenger’s white-knuckled plot and unforeseeable twists make one thing for certain: the ride will leave you breathless. “When the answers finally come, they are juicy, complex, and unexpected. The satisfying conclusion will leave readers rethinking everything and immediately turning back to the first page to start again. Psychological suspense lovers will tear through this thriller” (Library Journal, starred review).

Reviews

  • Never a dull moment

    5
    By Ozcowfan
    Great book… hard to put down.. glad it was recommended to me!
  • This is one to miss

    2
    By bcstoryteller
    Another female protagonist who repeatedly makes bad choices and has the worst luck in the world when it comes to the parade of terrible men the show up every five minutes to abuse and gaslight. But where I can usually forgive these threadbare tropes in Lisa’s writing because the humor is consistently fresh and sharp, this book has none of that humor to redeem the slog through the hapless protagonist’s ludicrously uncontrolled life. Then it all wraps up in one more absurd twist. None of these characters felt real or consistent.
  • Excellent read

    4
    By jbltex
    Page turner that kept me engaged every step of the way. Highly recommend.
  • Excellent read!

    5
    By Cskemp
    I started reading this book in hopes of getting inside of someone else's head and out of my own. I was able to do just that. This is an excellent read! Tanya was a strong character and you won't get bored with all the changes. Try it and see...you'll be pleasantly surprised.
  • Hard sell

    2
    By MimiFlorida
    This is an in between book that you read when you just want to cleanse your pallet before you start a serious novel. I did not find the lead character compelling and the story was hard to believe. The heroin in the story was really born under a very unlucky star. Even the cliffhanging twister was anti-climatic. For me, it was just not that great.
  • Couldn't put it down

    5
    By Instructional Coach
    I have read all of the Spellman series books and really enjoyed them. I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but I couldn't put it down. I seldom give 5 stars but this book gets all 5.
  • Slow paced novel!

    2
    By Kris Anderson, The Avid Reader
    The Passenger by Lisa Lutz is a suspense novel. Tanya came downstairs after her shower and found her husband, Frank dead. She contemplated about burying the body, but there is no way she can do it herself (very practical). So she gathers up some cash and takes off (do you think she has something to hide). She changes vehicles, changes her hair color, and then gets a new identity. She ends up in Austin, Texas and meets Blue (for her eyes) at May’s Well (a bar). Blue recognizes Tanya (now Amelia) as someone on the run. When two goons try to take off with Tanya/Amelia (starts to get confusing after a while as she keeps changing identities), Blue helps out. After several unsuccessful attempts to get a new identity, Blue has an idea. Both women end up with new identities and a chance to start over. But the past always manages to catch up with you. Eventually, you have to face it (you cannot run forever). The Passenger is listed as fast paced, but I did not find it very speedy (I have two week old kittens that move faster). To me it was a long drawn out book where I kept waiting for my questions to be answered (and after a while I did not care). The Passenger is Tanya’s story of her running, hiding, and finding new identities. The Passenger is just the telling of a story and teller decided to draw it out. The Passenger gets better towards the end (if you make it that far). I give The Passenger 2 out of 5 stars. The basic concept of the book was good, but I did not like the final product (if you need something to help you sleep, then you have found the right book). The Passenger contains extreme violence and foul language (and large quantities of alcohol). I received a complimentary copy of The Passenger in exchange for an honest review of the book.
  • Excellent

    5
    By ms_ee
    I absolutely loved this book. Nearly impossible to put down, and a satisfying ending!
  • The Passenger

    5
    By Bychakr
    Awesome book. It's a page turner
  • What you need to be reading

    5
    By Klonda
    This book was absolutely amazing. The twists and turns were wrapped up nicely at the end and it was an enjoyable ride. I read it quickly because the plot keeps you and the main character on the move. Don't plan on finding anyone likable until the end.